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Young, Backe put injuries in past when Padres face Astros

Apr 1, 2008 - 2:15 PM Houston (0-1) at San Diego (1-0) 10:05 pm EDT

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) - Righthander Chris Young is hoping his injury problems won't carry over to the 2008 season.

Young makes his first start of the new campaign on Tuesday when the San Diego Padres continue their four-game series with the Houston Astros.

The 28-year-old Young posted an 8-3 record with a 2.00 ERA in the first half last season en route to his first career All-Star game appearance. However, the 6-foot-10 righty logged just a 1-5 record with a 4.80 ERA after the All-Star break following a oblique injury which he suffered on July 24.

But Young, who finished the 2007 campaign with a 9-8 record and a 3.12 ERA in 30 starts, is ready for 2008 after working hard to strengthen his core muscles during the offseason.

"The biggest difference is, I haven't felt any soreness," Young said during spring training. "My legs haven't been stiff, my back hasn't been stiff. I normally go through a phase where my legs get really sore, my hips get really sore and the back is stiff. ... Maybe the offseason program has something to do with that. Only time will tell."

After suffering a 4-0 setback on Monday during the first game of the series, the Astros send righthander Brandon Backe to the mound in hopes of bouncing back.

Backe, who missed almost the entire 2006 and 2007 seasons while recovering from "Tommy John" surgery, returned on September 4 last campaign and went 3-1 with a 3.77 ERA in five starts, earning a one-year, $800,000 deal to return to Houston this season.